Ed Sharpe of CouryGraph Productions / Glendale Daily Planet / KKAT-IPTV in Glendale, AZ was award a 2007 Rocky Mountain Emmy® Award for the production of "The Laura Graff Hit and Run Accident - Search For The Driver" .
The National Television Academy Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter awarded the statuette. The chapter covers Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and parts of California and Wyoming.
The Emmy® Statuettes represents the highest honor bestowed in the Television Industry, making them the most coveted awards in broadcasting.
The presentation on the evening of October 6th was the 30th annual event for the organization. It was held at the plush Renaissance Hotel and Resort's Conference Center located near the University of Phoenix stadium in Glendale Arizona.
Sharpe said, "There's more people involved in making "The Laura Graff Hit and Run Accident - Search For The Driver" and other news segments than you see on the surface. It's not just me!"
Sharpe added, "Many people have taken time to teach me videography, editing, writing, ethics in journalism and appreciated are the people that were great sounding boards to discuss ideas with... fantastic were family members that put up with me working all hours to get the job done... lets not forget the patient subjects as well we had for interviews when we started out our careers. Indeed! these are all the people who won this Emmy® Award as well."
Glendale Police Chief Steven Conrad stated: "I would like to congratulate Ed on his latest Emmy! Ed is committed to providing our community with information about the efforts of public safety. This is video is a great example of a great police-media relationship."
Officer Matt Barnett, Glendale Police Department PIO, who narrated the Hit and Run segment congratulated Ed Sharpe " ...I have worked with him many times in the past and Mr. Sharpe is a pleasure to work with and is asset to the local journalistic community."
In addition to the award ceremonies, attendees were treated to a tour of Glendale 11, the City of Glendale Arizona cable channel's new world class HD studios and control room in the process of installation. This beautiful new media center is adjoining the plush Glendale Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center located near the University of Phoenix stadium located in he new Glendale Sports area.
Photo: Glendale Police Department PIO -Officer Matt Barnett shown in a screen from the call for information put out over Glendale Daily Planet / KKAT-IPTV.
We are still looking for the SUV responsible for the Hit and Run accident involving Laura Graff and her motorcycle which took place on the evening of September 23, 2006 at 7:00 pm.
What the Video was about:
• Description On the evening of September 23, 2006 at 7:00 pm, Glendale firefighters responded to a car and motorcycle crash involving Laura Graff, a 24-year-old Glendale woman.
She was riding her motorcycle at 59th Avenue and Mercer Lane in Glendale Arizona. They found Graff barely clinging to life from the severe injuries caused by hit and run driver. The driver of the vehicle that hit Laura fled the scene. This footage was the first reporting of the event and a call for witnesses to help locate this driver. This driver remains unidentified.
Unlike a traditional television newscast, this production with it's call for information narrated by Glendale Police PIO Matt Barnett, still remains online shadowing the perpetrator... someday they will be identified. Laura Graff survived and is undergoing therapy to overcome the effects of her injuries. You may also see the ceremony whereas she awarded the fire fighters, ambulance drivers and hospital trauma personal for helping save her life in an article at http://www.glendaledailyplanet.com/ .
Chuck Emmert Rocky Mountain Region Awards
Director Presents Ed Sharpe with His First Emmy® Award.
Also of note, Ed and the Glendale Daily Planet / KKAT-IPTV was the first Glendale Arizona News Media Outlet to receive an Emmy® Award. In addition, this was also the first Advanced Media Emmy Award to be presented for Breaking news/ Continuing Coverage in the Rocky Mountain Region.